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The Helvetii, anglicized as Helvetians, were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC. According to Julius Caesar, the Helvetians were divided into four subgroups or pagi. Of these, Caesar names only the Verbigeni and the Tigurini, while Posidonius mentions the Tigurini and the Tougeni (Τωυγενοί). They feature prominently in the Commentaries on the Gallic War, with their failed migration attempt to southwestern Gaul serving as a catalyst for Caesar's conquest of Gaul.
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This article concerns the period 59 BC – 50 BC.
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Hac re cognita Vercingetorix rursus in Bituriges exercitum reducit atque inde profectus Gorgobinam, Boiorum oppidum, quos ibi Helvetico proelio victos Caesar collocaverat Haeduisque attribuerat, oppugnare instituit.
(Translation:) With this in mind, Vercingetorix led his army back to the territory of the Bituriges and advanced from there to Gorgobina, the oppidum of the Boii – whom, defeated in the battle of the Helvetians, Caesar had installed there and assigned to the Aedui –, and laid siege to it.
The Tigurini were a clan or tribe forming one out of four pagi (provinces) of the Helvetii.
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A vergobret was a magistrate in ancient Gaul who held the highest office in many Gallic cities, especially among the Aedui. Julius Caesar discusses the role of the vergobret several times in his Commentaries on the Gallic War, referring to the office with the terms princeps civitatis, principatus, and magistratus.
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References
- ↑ Dunn, Frederic Stanley (April 17, 1909). "The Helvetian Quartet". The Classical Weekly. 2 (23): 178–181.
- ↑ Caesar, Julius. Commentaries on the Gallic War
. - ↑ Altman, William Henry Furness (2015). "Self-Revelation and Concealment in Caesar's DE BELLO GALLICO: CICERO, Orgetorix, and the Belgae". Revista Classica. 28 (1): 16–176.
- ↑ Van Royen, Rene (November 2004). Rethymon (ed.). Slavery and Conquest. Besancon: Presses Universitaires de Franche-Comte. pp. 39–54. ISBN 9782848671697.
- ↑ Horner, Brita L. (1917). "The Conspiracy of Orgetorix, A Dramatization". The Classical Journal. 13 (1): 61–65.
- ↑ Radin, Max (1918). "Dumnorix, A Play Fabula Braccata". The Classical Journal. 13 (5): 314–342. JSTOR 3288427.
